‘G’ Men (1935)

‘G’ Men (1935)
Directed by William Keighley
1935/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing

Jeff McCord: We’re gonna make the word “government” poison to them if it’s the last thing we do.

There is something so comforting about putting a James Cagney movie into the player.  I can count on him being good and usually the movie is good as well.  In this case, the movie is quite good.  With this film, Warner Brothers transformed the gangster genre into something the Hayes Code could live with while boosting an FBI that had just received the right to carry weapons and federal crime laws to enforce.

Cagney plays Brick Davis, a guy who grew up on the mean streets of the East Side but was financed by a bootlegger through law school.  When his government agent law school friend is gunned down by mobsters, Davis decides to join the Bureau, severing his ties with his benefactor and Jean, the nightclub singer who is sweet on him (Ann Dvorak).   In Washington, Davis is put under the tutelage of crusty veteran agent Jeff McCord (Robert  Armstrong) who thinks him “soft”.  Davis rapidly sets McCord straight and also impresses with his street smarts and inside info on the criminals he came up with.

The film is full of violent action, perhaps more of it than in the earlier gangster films.  Davis’s colleague is slaughtered by the mob while trying to transport one of their number to prison and there is a montage of armed bank hold-ups.  Later, after the Bureau is armed, there are a couple of spectacular gunfights.  In keeping with the Code, there is no gore and the bad guys are thoroughly despicable and thoroughly vanquished.  With Margaret Lindsay as Jeff’s sister and Brick’s love interest.

This movie sinks or swims on the back of Jimmy Cagney and he does not disappoint.  He has the same cocky charm and energy that Tom Powers had, with the appeal of being in the right, and a good script to work with.  Robert Armstrong plays his part with a healthy dose of humor, refreshing after his super-earnest work in King Kong.  The bad guys are all interesting.  Ann Dvorak was fine, but where did they get her dresses?  I don’t think I’m a Margaret Lindsay fan.

Re-release trailer

Poor, poor Ann Dvorak and her unfortunate costume (and routine!)